1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to lighting fixtures useful in a wet location and particularly a shower, the invention preferably taking the form of a recessed downlighting fixture mountable above the shower ceiling.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Lighting is difficult to provide in shower enclosures without the use of lensed fixtures due to the inadvisability of using typical lamps and electrical components of lighting fixtures in wet locations. In spite of potential dangers inherent in contact between water and energized electrical components, other safety considerations have led to a recognition that a certain level of lighting be present in a shower or shower enclosure in order to promote the safe use of showers. While commercially available lighting systems have long been known for use in wet environments, such systems do not find use in shower enclosures due in part to aesthetic reasons. Aesthetically pleasing lighting fixtures such as are typically considered appropriate for homes and the like are not generally safe for use in wet environments. Accordingly, difficulties have previously been encountered in the art in providing a lighting fixture for a wet location and particularly for a shower enclosure or the like wherein the fixture is capable of safe operation within the shower environment while providing a pleasing appearance comparable to the lighting provided in remaining portions of a home or the like. Lighting fixtures which can be recessed into the ceiling in both new construction and in retrofit situations have become useful within the relatively recent past, the utility of these "downlighting" fixtures having become known in a variety of lighting situations due in part to the unobtrusive nature of the fixtures and to the level of illumination which can be provided by such fixtures. Downlighting fixtures are typically mounted above a ceiling to ceiling support structure such as joists or to a gridwork supporting a suspended ceiling installation. In conventional mounting of downlighting fixtures, a mounting frame is provided which is mounted to joists or to a suspended ceiling gridwork above the ceiling itself, a junction box being carried by the mounting frame and being connected to a source of electrical power through conduit extending from the junction box to a connection with a lamp housing. Conventional downlighting fixtures often incorporate a reflector trim or finishing trim mounted within the lamp housing, the trim often carrying an electrical socket which mounts lamping of appropriate type and wattage. It is possible to use a reflector trim as the lamp housing. Installation of the recessed lighting fixture is thus provided between joists of a ceiling or to elements of a suspended ceiling. Typical ceilings are formed of plasterboard, plaster, ceiling tile or the like, and hide virtually all of the recessed lighting fixture. Light from the lamping of the fixture can thus be directed into an environmental space below the ceiling through an opening formed in the ceiling, the fixture being placed immediately above the opening such that lamping is disposed in immediate proximity to the opening with light directly emanating from the lamping and being reflected into the environmental space by reflection from the reflector trim. Light is thus directed substantially downwardly into the environmental space which is to be illuminated. Recessed downlighting fixtures take a variety of forms including one particularly suitable fixture useful according to the teachings of the present invention, this fixture being described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,690,423, the disclosure thereof being incorporated hereinto by reference. Due to the fact that a recessed downlighting fixture such as is described in the aforesaid patent can be mounted above a ceiling with only lower portions of a reflector trim or finishing trim extending from a hole in the ceiling to cover the hole and further with lamping being preferably disposed within or slightly above the opening in the ceiling, such recessed lighting fixtures are unobtrusive and exhibit pleasing appearance while providing substantial illumination levels. A long-felt need in the art for a shower light having a pleasing appearance combined with operational safety is thus met by the present invention through the provision of a recessed downlighting fixture having lamping rated for wet locations, such as an indoor/outdoor PAR (parabolic aluminized reflector) lamp or similar lamp wherein contact with water with "glass" portions of the lamp does not cause breakage of the lamp or any other unsafe condition. In a downlighting fixture, such relatively unattractive lamping is only seen over an arcuate surface which is typically located lowermost on the lamp in most installed situations. In other words, a recessed downlighting fixture fitted with an indoor/outdoor PAR lamp or similar lamp will have an appearance which is as pleasing as conventional downlighting which utilizes more conventional lamping. The invention therefore particularly envisions a recessed downlighting fixture fitted with appropriate "waterproof" lamping such as an indoor/outdoor PAR lamp of appropriate wattage for use in shower enclosures and the like, such a fixture being capable of safe operation while exhibiting a pleasing appearance and providing desirable levels of illumination within the shower enclosure. The invention further envisions the provision of means for preventing moisture capable of damaging electrical components of the fixture from coming in contact with said components. The finishing trim of the downlighting fixture is particularly chosen to act in concert with sealing structure which takes the form of gaskets, flexible bellows or the like to comprise the means for preventing potentially damaging moisture contact with such electrical components in certain embodiments of the invention. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, however, the finishing trim acts in concert with the lamping itself, particularly an indoor/outdoor lamp or lamp rated for moisture contact, to restrict the ability of moisture, especially in the form of splash, to move through an otherwise apparently open pathway existing between opposing surfaces of the lamp and of the finishing trim, such a restricted pathway acting to prevent contact of moisture with said electrical components. The advantages of the invention are realized with economies of manufacture, installation and use.